Hell on Wheels
by My.Sweet.Obessions
Summary: Avangeline Drake had always managed to take whatever life threw at her and turned it into something better. Daryl Dixon always saw what life threw at him and fought it tooth and nail. He didn't know what "better" could mean until facing the worst situation imaginable; the apocalypse. Now they both have to make it in this crazy, new world. And together, they might have a chance.


**I would just like to point out that I do not own any of the canon characters or plotlines that are in The Walking Dead; all credit to the brilliant producers. If you see a character that you don't know or come across scenes that you haven't seen, then they are obviously products of my imagination. **

**This story will contain many, many spoilers! **

**Chapter One**

It wasn't like what you saw in the movies.

For starters, they weren't _pretend. _There was something about the guttural groans being emitted from their throats and the discombobulated thrashing of their limbs that would make even the biggest of skeptics pause. And that single moment of hesitation would be their biggest, and last, mistake. It would cost them their lives.

No one knew how it started. There seemed to be no cause for the virus that was making the dead rise. All they knew was that it spread like wildfire. Within days there were hundreds if not thousands dead. The only catch was the fact that they didn't _stay_ dead; they got right back up. Only now they were something else. Something that was definitely not human.

There were a lot of names for them. Geeks, lurkers, roamers, biters, walkers. They all meant the same thing; trouble. The reanimated corpses that were quickly taking over the Earth did so by turning the remainder of the living into mindless, soulless creatures. One bite or one scratch and you were done for. The disease would spread through your body at a rate that seemed to be excruciatingly slow. It started with the fever. Eventually it would evolve into what could only be described as flu-like symptoms. With a day or two you'd be dead; but only for a few minutes. And then you came back as one of _them._

No, it was nothing like the glorified zombie movies that constantly ran on AMC.

Avangeline Drake was not doing anything special when the news of the outbreak hit. It had been a typical Sunday morning in the Drake household. Coffee was brewing, music was streaming through speakers of her iPod dock, and Ava was dancing around the kitchen as she prepared for a long over-due reunion with her darling baby sisters, who also happened to be her housemates.

The house was half-decorated with various balloons, streamers, and signs reading _Welcome Home_ when the overly-obnoxious siren sounded from the living room. It was a sound that Ava knew well; they were always doing emergency broadcasting system tests. She was about to dismiss the sound entirely when she heard something else that piqued her interest.

"_National alert, national alert._" The voice was monotone and low, like the kind you heard over the radio whenever they interrupted your tunes to report a really bad thunderstorm.

"The hell?" Ava's words were muffled by the roll of scotch tape that she had clenched between her teeth.

She made her way curiously towards the living room with a dozen or so party streamers clenched in one hand, and a roll of tape in the other. Her sock-clad feet shuffled slowly across the carpeted floor as Ava rounded a corner and came face to face with the television. Its screen now displayed what appeared to be a news station despite the fact that it had previously been streaming re-runs of some low-budget sitcom.

The scene that was laid out before her very eyes caused Ava to drop the decorations that she held. Both hands flew to her mouth as she stared in horror at the screen. There was blood. So much blood. Bodies were scattered for miles and miles in the footage that showed fully-armed soldiers storming the streets of various cities around the country. Hell, probably _around the world. _

"Ohmygosh." Breathed Ava. The jumbled words were barely more than a whisper as she sat down hard, lucky enough to land in the comfort of her loveseat and not on the floor.

There was a tightness in her chest that was not foreign, but was definitely unwelcome. To steady herself Ava took a few deep breaths while trying to piece things together in her mind.

_National Alert. Deadly virus outbreak. Evacuation. The National Guard. _

The thoughts were clipped and disorganized, but it was hard for Ava to form an intelligible sentence or two in her mind at the moment. Everything was happening so suddenly that she felt as if she had no time to really process it. One moment she was watching what appeared to be live footage of the National Guard taking down countless…_things._ And in the next the screen was flashing as the words _Evacuate to Atlanta _sporadically came and went.

Ava's body seemed to be moving almost robotically as she walked towards her bedroom with steady and calculated strides. Her mind was still racing with a million questions and concerns, but it didn't hinder her progress as she threw open her bedroom door and made for the closet. Currently her mind and her body were acting as separate entities. Neither one inhibited the other's actions. Ava was able to simultaneously think logically and get her ass into gear; probably for the first time ever.

She was blindly yanking clothes out of her dresser and tossing them into a large duffle bag that she'd found buried beneath all of the junk in her closet. What had once been fresh, folded stacks of laundry was now little more than a huge mess in the bottom of the bag. Ava owned more clothes than she had room for, so she forced herself to prioritize.

Ava didn't have very many sentimental items, but the few that she did have would not be left behind. Deep within the contents of her bag, she buried the only photo album that she owned. It was a rather simple thing; small and leather and bound together by three small, metal rings. The pictures inside documented the Drake sisters from birth to present day and they were irreplaceable. The only other thing of any value to Ava was an old pocket-watch locket that was constantly hanging around her neck, so there was no danger of it getting left behind.

Ava was half-way down the hall, intent on leaving the apartment and everything in it, when she remembered something crucial.

_Freya and Victoria are on their way home. _

The thought of her unsuspecting siblings caused knots to form in Ava's stomach. The two girls had been vacationing in Atlantic City for the last two weeks. It was supposed to be a graduation present for Freya, who had finished high school just weeks prior to their trip. Now, all hell was breaking loose and her baby sisters were in New Jersey while she was stuck in Georgia.

She forced herself to remain optimistic. Chances were, the two girls were already half-way to Atlanta. By now the recorded evacuation message would be playing on ever radio station, seeing as how it was a national threat. And even if they couldn't make it to Atlanta by tonight, they would have each other.

With that thought in mind, Ava hauled the bag into the kitchen and tossed it onto the counter. The television had said that the when they reported to the city they'd be supplied with everything they needed. That didn't stop Ava from ransacking her cupboards and throwing in anything of value. Of course, she had to have her coffee. And there were a couple packages of that soon got tossed in. Did she _look_ like she was watching her figure? No. But just to be practical, she added a couple of non-perishables, which were mostly vegetables and soups.

Ava couldn't think to bring anything else. She scoured all of the rooms for anything of value, but all she ended up tucking into her bag was a few thin blankets and some throw pillows. They filled the rest of the space nicely, so there wasn't really much of an option for anything else in the long run.

Her single bag was packed and Ava was looking longingly around her apartment. She didn't know why, but she had a nagging suspicion that she would not be coming back to this place anytime soon. The scenes on the news had looked pretty serious…Maybe she was better off in the city than here. At least there would be people to protect her in the city. That thought was comforting enough that she let it resonate through her mind as she closed her apartment door for what would be the last time.

|oOo|

The drive was long and it gave Ava countless hours to think about her current situation.

What exactly was happening? The news had spoken of an outbreak of some sort of disease. But Ava had never heard of a _disease_ that required the freaking National Guard. Part of her wondered if maybe it was some plague-like virus that was coming to do them all in. Why else would they be evacuating to Atlanta? Ava could only assume that it was some type of quarantine.

When Ava said they were all evacuating, she meant they were _all_ evacuating. A trip to Atlanta usually took just under two hours with moderate traffic. She'd spent at least double that amount of time in her car and she could just barely see the city. There were hundreds of cars surrounding her on both sides, all filled with scared and impatient people that wanted the safety that the city promised to provide.

Ava was just one among a million others fighting for the same thing.

The flow of traffic had gone from painfully slow to nonexistent. When Ava looked ahead she saw that many cars had been parked along the highway. People were getting out of their cars and begging to group up, probably to discuss what was going on. The chances of her getting through the roadblock were very slim.

_If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. _

That mentality was what caused Ava to shut off her car and step out into the pleasantly warm Georgia air. Sliding the keys into her pocket, she looked around for a sign of anyone who might be willing to explain what was going on.

Many of the cars around Ava were empty upon closer inspection. People had begun to leave their cars behind and were _walking_ into the city. It was still quite a ways away, but that hadn't stopped anyone. They were trying to avoid the inevitable.

Ava couldn't see anything other than all of the deserted cars. The fact that she was only an average height did not help her situation. She could, however, hear voices not too far away. The first voice she heard was rather loud and obnoxious. Ava couldn't quite make out the words, but the tone itself was enough. Whoever was replying had a softer and sharper voice; they sounded annoyed.

"Well, lookit what we have here, brother." The voice was louder now as Ava emerged from behind an old SUV and saw the source of it. "A mighty purty lady don't-cha think? Saddle up on o'er here and say howdy to ol' Merle." Drawled the voice belonging to an older gentleman

Ava's eyebrows raised in surprise as she looked at the male who was sitting in the bed of a pickup truck with a beer in one hand and a cigarette in the other. He had to be in his forties, with gray hair and more laugh lines than she could count. He looked well though; fit and probably strong. He was neither handsome nor ugly; he was kind of average.

It was apparent to Ava right away that he was what you might call a redneck.She couldn't explain how she knew, aside from his crude mannerisms which didn't say a whole lot. It was just a vibe that she got, from the oil-stained shirt that he wore and the ensemble of hunting equipment that was splayed out in the bed of his truck.

"Howdy." Replied Ava as she walked towards the man who was apparently called Merle. She had decided to humor the man that had so brazenly called out to her.

Merle said nothing as he looked at Ava with an interest that was more than mild. He immediately scanned her body, giving her a quick once-over, before his gaze came to rest on her dark blue eyes. "Lookin' for some trouble, doll?"

Ava found herself laughing when she probably should have been appalled. The man was terribly candid and extremely blatant. The things he had said to her with that suggestive undertone and the look he had just given her probably should have scared Ava off. But people like Merle always seemed to draw her in.

Before Ava could even reply she heard a gruff, slightly agitated voice call out from the cab of the truck. "C'mon, Merle! Don't got all day."

"Calm down, lil' D." Merle called back, sounding good-natured despite the other man's obvious annoyance. "We got ourselves some company."

Ava wondered who this "Little D" was. Merle had been talking to someone earlier when she'd showed up. She thought she remembered him using the word _brother._ Perhaps that was his brother in the cab of the truck.

"Afraid I'm not great company." Ava said softly, offering Merle a small smile.

That wasn't the truth. Ava_ could_ be great company; when she felt like it. When she was surrounded by friends and not strangers. When life was going good rather than going to hell. Merle was the just a stop along the way towards the group that Ava had her eye on. And she was trying to be polite about needing to move on.

"Nonsense. A purty lil' thing like you?" It was obvious by Merle's tone that he didn't believe her. "Tell me ya name, sugar."

"Ava." Was the automatic response that left her lips.

"I'm Merle Dixon. That asshole in the truck is ma brother, Daryl."

"_Merle._" The voice from the voice was sharper than before. "Said let's go."

"We ain't got nowhere ta go. Road's backed up for miles." Merle pointed out with a roll of his eyes before he took a long drag on the cigarette that had been slowly burning out in his hand.

"What we ain't got is time for ya'll to flirt." Came the low growl from inside the truck.

Merle made an obscene gesture and grinned widely at Ava. "Boy's jealous." He informed her, taking a swig of the warm beer that he'd forgotten about. "A purty lil' thing like you would never give 'im the time of day."

Ava found herself smiling. Hey, a compliment was a compliment. Even if it was said in sort of a derogatory tone and happened to come from someone like Merle Dixon. Something about the ease in which he said the words told Ava that this was how Merle talked to _all_ women, not just her. Maybe Merle thought that this was how he was supposed to talk to her. And she wasn't one to judge based on how someone was brought up. Besides, it wasn't like he had even said anything crude; he was just being impish.

And hey, at least she hadn't been stuck with the asshole brother.

"You two got any plans?" Wondered Ava in spite of herself.

"Nah." Merle shrugged his shoulders, as if the thought of not knowing what came next didn't bother him.

That was that.

Ava nodded her head and decided to ask something completely out of character. "Got another cancer stick on ya?"

An amused light settled in Merle's eyes as he fished around in the pocket of his jeans. A few moments later he proudly produced a package of cigarettes. "Anythin' for you, darlin'."

Without hesitation, Ava took the cigarette. Now _normally_ she didn't smoke; she'd kicked the habit years before. But the world was going to hell in a hand basket and she needed something to relieve the tension. A beer would have been nice; a shot would have been better. But getting smashed anywhere _near_ Merle Dixon's wandering eyes just did not seem like a good idea. So she opted for the cigarette.

"Thanks." Ava said warmly, putting the cigarette between her lips. It had been a long time since she'd done something so stupid. Ava knew how easily it would be to get addicted again. Yet something told her that where they were going, there wouldn't be an abundance of these things. What could one hurt?

She slid her hands down her sides and over her hips, only to realize that her pockets were empty. Of course they were; _she didn't smoke. _Sheepishly, Ava offered Merle a smile and decided to push her luck. "Got a light?"

A lough, raspy laugh escaped the male as he looked at her. "Damn, girl! First ya want my cigarettes and now ya need a light?" Merle asked, shaking his head as he went to searching through his pockets once more.

"Sorry." Apologized Ava, immediately looking at her shoes. She could see that Merle wasn't really upset, but she still had hated asking. She was pushing luck that wasn't really all there to begin with.

"Here."

Ava's eyes snapped up at the sound of the voice, no, the _growl_ that was right in front of her. She blinked once and looked at the outstretched hand in front of her. It was dirty, coated with dirt and grease, but it also held a lighter.

Her eyes traveled higher, to see the face that went with the sullen voice. Their gazes locked; her eyes were rather friendly while his were guarded and almost steely. Everything about Daryl Dixon was rugged. _Lethal. _He stood a few inches higher than Ava's five feet, six inches, causing him to quite literally tower over her. Those broad shoulders and bulging arms did not ease her mind any. His hair was a dirty blonde color that was closer to brown than anything else. It was kept short and controlled, as was facial hair on his lip and chin. That seemed to be the only thing about Daryl that was _controlled._

Ava had never wanted to be _that_ kind of girl; the kind that went out seeking trouble. If asked, she would claim that trouble always seemed to follow her. And that was exactly the case right now. Daryl Dixon just screamed _trouble._

"Thanks." Ava said softly, leaning forward and cupping her hands around the flame that the lighter provided.

The cigarette did exactly what Ava had hoped it would; calmed her nerves. It was an acquired taste, but one she had long ago gotten used to. For a few minutes she was silent, focusing on inhaling and exhaling. Each time she sucked on the end of the cigarette, smoke all but consumed her. And then, clouds of smoke left her lips with each long, exaggerated release.

"Yer a natural, ain't-cha?" Merle asked her loudly, in that southern drawl of his. Ava had her own drawl of sorts, but his was much more pronounced because of the words he used.

_Lookit, purty, don't-cha, ain't-cha, yer, ya, ma._

_Look at, pretty, don't you, aren't you, you're, you, my. _

Ava mentally corrected each word in her head. She had followed the conversation easily enough; she had been raised in the south, where words were often slurred and changed a bit. In her opinion, that was all part of the southern charm.

"Suppose so." She replied absently, in regards to Merle's comment.

Her eyes shifted towards the group that she'd been watching earlier. There was a man there, one with dark eyes and hair to match, that seemed to be the leader. He felt himself with confidence and was obviously used to having power. Perhaps he was a soldier or a cop or something? Maybe he had some insight on what the hell was going on.

"I'm gonna ask around." Ava said suddenly, looking between Merle and Daryl. "Make some plans."

"Plans? It's a fuckin' _outbreak, _girl." Daryl spoke again, sounding about as happy and patient as he had the last few times he'd bothered speaking. "We need ta split. Head for the woods."

Ava didn't know if he meant "we" as in the three of them, or if he meant "_we_", as in him and Merle. Either way she had no intention of splitting. Atlanta was her best shot. Leaving the city meant leaving behind _everything._ Including her sisters, who were probably hightailing it home as she spoke.

"They said to get to the city." She reminded him gently, looking ahead to where she could just barely see the outskirts of Atlanta. "They'll protect us."

Daryl scowled down at her, obviously growing more impatient with each word that left her lips. "Girl, you even _seen_ a biter yet?"

"A biter?" Echoed Ava, looking up at him with a confused expression on her face.

"Biters, geeks; whatever you wanna call 'em. They ain't friendly, and no city's gonna stop 'em."

Ava's thoughts flashed back to the program she'd been watching this morning. The sight of the military taking down those _things_ still haunted her mind. They'd looked like humans, but they weren't. Their flesh was peeling, they eyes were sunken, and they let out the most horrible noises. If she had to guess what a biter was, that'd be it.

"I'm gonna go make plans to stay in the city." Ava's voice was firm this time, and she looked up at Daryl defiantly as she tossed the cigarette to the ground and stepped on it. "Thanks for the light."

Who did he think he was?

"Ya done scared her away, brother." Scolded Merle, watching as Ava walked away from the two of them. "She was one fine piece of ass."

Daryl rolled his eyes at his older brother. "She wasn't interested."

"How d'ya know?" Merle snapped back, sliding off of the truck's tailgate. "None of the lil' ladies can resist ol' Merle's charm."

"Yeah. Whatever you say, Merle."

They _both_ knew that was far from the truth.

Ava walked over towards the group, still angry about her little altercation of sorts with the younger and surlier Dixon brother. Only an idiot would insist on ignoring the orders of the _government_ during a national emergency. Daryl Dixon may have been a lot of things -angry, impatient, and intimidating to start- but he didn't seem stupid. Ava just hoped that he gained some common sense before setting off on his own to go up against those "biters."

Ava walked towards the group slowly, letting them see her approach. Several pairs of eyes fell on her as they stopped talking. For a moment Ava thought that maybe it was private business that they were discussing. She had half a mind to leave when the man, presumably the leader, offered her a gentlemanly smile and extended his hand.

"I'm Shane." He said, once she was close enough to shake his hand. "This here is Lori-" He pauses to gesture to a tall brunette beside him. "-and her boy Carl." His hand reaches out to ruffle a young boy's hair. "This is Carol and her lil girl Sophia." Continued Shane, nodding towards an older woman and a young girl.

Ava retuned his firm handshake and looked around at the small group of people. "I'm Ava." She introduced herself shortly, offering a small smile to make up for her lack of words.

"It's nice to meet you." Lori said as she extended her hand in Ava's direction.

Ava was the kind of girl that observed. She looked at Lori and took in every single possible detail about the woman. She was tall, for starters, and very skinny; two traits that made Ava practically green with envy. Her long, brown hair was pulled up into a ponytail on the top of her head. Lori could only have been in her early to mid-thirties, but she looked as if she were younger than that. There was something about her that was very…welcoming. Warm, friendly eyes the color of milk chocolate met Ava's as their hands met in the middle.

"You, too." Replied Ava, nodding her head. "All of you." She tacked on as an afterthought, offering the group her best smile.

She looked at their faces each in turn. There was Lori and Shane who must have known each other before shit started to hit the fan, judging by how familiar they seemed. And then there was Lori's son, Carl. He could have only been about ten years old and he was small at that.

Next to Lori was Carol, an older woman with short, gray hair and uneasy eyes. She, like Lori, was very skinny; but not in a good way. Carol looked frail, as if she might blow over with the next wind. But she looked kind as she smiled at Ava and waved. Tucked into Carol's side was Sophia, a young girl who couldn't have been much older than eleven or twelve. She, like her mother, had a skittish nature about her and she looked at everyone from behind a set of big old doe eyes.

"Ya'll heading to the city?" Asked Ava, figuring that it was the only logical reason for why they had been sucked into this roadblock.

It was Carl who answered Ava, speaking for the first time in a soft and polite manner. "Yes ma'am."

"You lookin' for some company, Miss Ava?" Sophia wondered, her eyes somehow growing bigger as the ghost of a smile found its way onto her face. "We got lots of room."

"Sophia." Carol shushed her then, casting Ava an apologetic smile. But the girl's question hadn't bothered Ava in the slightest.

"I wouldn't mind some company." Ava admitted with a shaky laugh. Being alone through all of this was terrifying her. And she had no idea when the girls would arrive…

_Afraid I'm not great company. _

The words she'd said to Merle echoed in her mind as she looked back towards the Dixon brothers. They were standing near their truck, talking in hushed and angry tones. If Ava had to guess, she'd bet Merle was shooting down Daryl's idea of running off into the woods. At least one of them had some common sense.

"You're by yourself?" Asked Lori, looking at Ava with something akin to sympathy in her eyes.

"Yes, ma'am." Ava nodded her head. The smile on her face was tight now, as if it were forced.

"No parents? No-?"

"_No._" Said Ava, shaking her head. "It's just me."

"I'm sorry." Lori said softly, reaching out to grip Ava's hand once more. She gave it a gentle squeeze. "You're welcome to come along with us."

"I'm not sure how they'll have things set up in the city." Said Shane, captivating Ava's attention once more as she stared up at him with wide, worried eyes. "But stay close. Ain't gonna let you go through this on your own."

Ava let out a relieved breath as Shane agreed to let her tag along with them. The words meant more to Ava than the man would ever know.

"Thank you." Ava said gently.

"Of course."

Shane smiled at Ava and she felt her lips curl upwards in response. There was something about the man that made Ava believe his words were sincere. Most likely it was the friendly smile plastered across his face as he gently placed one hand on her shoulder. It felt good to have someone -or some_ones_- by her side. Even if it was only temporary.

The traffic jam was making no progress. Ava figured that people had stopped trying to bring their cars into the city and were simply walking. When she suggested they do the same, Shane agreed with her. Everyone began to fill their arms with duffel bags and the things they would need in Atlanta.

Ava made her way back towards her car. The poor thing looked abandoned when she came upon it. It was just sitting there, gathering dust. And it would continue to sit there until things calmed down and she would be able to retrieve it. With that sad thought in mind, Ava unlocked the car and pulled her duffel out of it. After a moment's hesitation, she stuffed the keys into the glove box. If someone happened upon it, maybe they would need it more than she currently did.

"You headin' to the city, sugar?" A loud voice called out to Ava as she kicked the door to her car closed and began to make her way door the crowded highway once more.

Ava smiled as she saw Merle sitting exactly where she had left him. Only this time Daryl was sitting beside him, gently chewing on the skin around his thumbnail. It was a nasty habit, but Ava didn't think mentioning it would be worth the breath. Besides, her jagged fingernails left no room for her to talk.

"Of course." Ava replied, hoisting the strap of the bag up higher on her shoulder. "That's what they said to do."

"Always do what yer told?" Asked Merle teasingly.

Laughing, Ava shook her head. "Only when there's a national crisis, Merle."

The older male nodded his head and watched her for a few moments. His gaze was intense as it studied her. Ava had no idea what was running through Merle's mind, but she guessed his thoughts were troubling him.

"You two coming with me?" Ava asked quietly. Her eyes were on Merle, but her words were directed at Daryl.

"City life ain't for us, sweetheart." Merle waved his hand absently as he spoke. "Ya'll go on. Me and Daryl will manage."

Ava bit her lip in hesitation as she looked at the Dixon brothers. They looked capable; more than capable, actually. But arrogance was what got people killed. And she didn't like the thought of the two of them facing those "biters" by themselves. Ava didn't know either one of them _personally_, but crisis tended to bring people together. Tended to mess with their minds. And on any other day, Ava would have avoided the outspoken rednecks. But today? She wanted to make sure they lived.

"Merle." Argued Ava as she looked at him with a disapproving frown.

"Move _on_, sweetheart." Merle said, his voice rising slightly as he looked at her. "Said we'll manage."

"And _I _said you're out of your minds." Ava was surprised at his sudden mood swing, but she didn't let it show. Her annoyance was the only emotion that shone through. "You can't survive out in the woods."

Ava's words seemed to spark something in the younger Dixon brother. Daryl hopped off of the tailgate and was suddenly just inches from Ava, staring down at her angrily. Ava refused to be intimidated by the temperamental redneck. Instead, she raised her chin a bit and stared back at him.

"You don't know nothin', little girl." Daryl was seething with anger. "How 'bout you just go back to yer little group and move _on_?"

Ava's hand lashed out and she jabbed a finger into Daryl's chest -which was surprisingly hard- as she glared up at him. "Don't you tell me what to do, Daryl Dixon."

The male looked down at her, surprised to see the small finger digging into his skin. His gaze darkened immediately as he waited for Ava to retract her hand. When she failed to do so, he swept his own hand out and wrapped it tightly around her wrist.

"Don't test me, little girl." The term _little girl_ was starting to wear on Ava's nerves. Daryl couldn't have been older than early-thirties. Making him just a handful of years older than Ava, who was twenty-five.

"Don't test _me_, Daryl." Warned Ava. "If you wanna go and get yourself killed, be my guest."

Ava pulled her arm away from Daryl, freeing her wrist from his grip. The skin around her wrist was quickly turning red. As she rubbed absently at the aching joint, Ava continued to stare up at Daryl who still remained silent. Their eyes were locked in an intense battle for dominance. Daryl looked away first, causing Ava to grin in surprise.

The triumph was cut short, because before Ava could even blink, she was falling to the ground. No, not falling; she was _pushed._ Gravel ground into the parts of her body that hadn't been cushioned by Daryl's body as he threw both of them to the ground. Luckily, her head bounced off of his chest -which was possibly harder than the freaking gravel- and faced no injury.

"Daryl, what's…?"

Ava's voice was drowned out by the sound of a million gunshots raining down around them. Or she thought that's what it was. Huge planes -all stamped with the US Airforce symbol- circled the city, dropping bombs and wreaking havoc. The city was in flames long before the last bomb had fallen. Shouts went up all around, but there was nothing anyone could do.

They were destroying the city.

They were destroying their last hope.

They were destroying what was left of mankind.


End file.
